Over the course of several days in Kyiv, instructors from training centers, representatives of military universities, and combat crews operating the A1-SM “Furia” UAS worked together to update training programs and improve the pilot training system. The event was held in the format of a training and methodological workshop.
The “Furia” UAV has been operating on the frontline since 2014 and is currently used by more than 100 brigades of the Defense Forces of Ukraine. As the manufacturer of one of Ukraine’s first reconnaissance UAV systems, Athlon Avia brought together training center instructors, military university faculty, and combat units to develop standard operating procedures (SOPs). Their implementation will help improve the effectiveness of reconnaissance UAS operations.
emphasized Athlon Avia Co-Founder Artem V'yunnyk.“Collecting and sharing best practices is part of our company’s broader values framework, which has three key components: the product itself, with its functionality and capabilities; technical support and ensuring that our products are 100% combat-ready; and, of course, the people who operate them. The higher the level of pilot training, the more effectively the ‘Furia’ is used — and the more effective the Ukrainian military becomes. This is, in essence, the mission of our company,”
The workshop was moderated by Andrii Tkachov, First Deputy Head of the Kyiv City Military Administration. He coordinated and oversaw the participants throughout the process, drawing on his own combat experience dating back to the ATO and his direct involvement in aerial reconnaissance since 2022.
emphasizes Andrii Tkachov.“Such workshops are a form of public-private partnership aimed at achieving our shared goal — victory. This is an approach that should be scaled by other companies, associations, and government institutions. Manufacturers can engage directly with combat pilots, receive feedback from operational crews, and gain a deeper understanding of challenges that may not be fully understood by government agencies responsible for procurement or by military command. This is an approach worth scaling across the defense industry. It is a good example of how a private company can launch an initiative whose results are important to everyone,”
The workshop included a series of panel discussions covering various topics, including improving the effectiveness of “Furia” operations, situational awareness systems for aerial reconnaissance teams, and standardizing the integration of combat experience into the training of future pilots.
Over two consecutive days, participants worked in dedicated groups to develop Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) covering the following areas:
- Selection, preparation, and camouflage of operating positions
- Pre-flight preparation
- Actions in emergency and non-standard situations
- Coordination and interaction between personnel
- Preparation of reports following the completion of combat missions
“It was valuable to have representatives from every part of the process in the working groups: pilots, manufacturers, instructors, and researchers. Meetings like these allow us to work through issues step by step and learn from different experiences — both the mistakes others have made and the solutions that have proven successful.”
“The quality of combat mission execution, commanders’ situational awareness on the battlefield, and the survivability of UAV crews — including the preservation of the aircraft — depend on the pilot’s skill and level of training, particularly the strength of their theoretical foundation and practical skills,” said Tetiana “Bilka,” Senior Instructor of the UAS Training Department at the Professional Training School of the Territorial Defence Forces’ Unmanned Systems.
“Athlon Avia has done a great job by bringing together the operational and practical experience of using and maintaining the ‘Furia’ from instructors, educators, and the people who operate the system themselves. This experience often differs and, in some cases, even contradicts one another — but that is precisely where its value lies. The key is to give the next generation of pilots the opportunity to identify the right solutions in specific situations. If something like this had existed in 2020, or even earlier, it would have significantly improved the effectiveness of my work,” said Andrii “Beskyd,” a participant in the workshop and UAS Battery Commander of the 4th Artillery Reconnaissance Division of the 15th Separate Artillery Reconnaissance Brigade.
The SOP materials will be submitted to senior military leadership for further review and potential integration into the training system.
Athlon Avia plans to hold these training and methodological workshops on a regular basis, maintaining a continuous feedback loop with training centers, military universities, brigades, and operational UAV crews.
